Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
-
The activity of a paediatric chronic pain clinic is described. The author highlight the importance of the first visit of the child with its parents, and of a multidisciplinary approach adapted to the child's individual needs.
-
Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 2012
Review[What to do or not, after an anaesthetic accident? The point of view of the medical advisor].
The objectives of this review are (1) to explain the goals of a medico-legal appraisement and describe the various jurisdictions able to order it; (2) to analyze the actions to be taken from the medico-legal point of view during and after the accident; (3) to give advise concerning communication with the patient, its family and the colleagues involved in the case; (4) to describe of the role of the medical advisor before (constitution of the file to communicate), during (assistance to the blamed practitioner) and after the expertise (to learn the practical lessons); (5) to recall the importance of the quality of the anaesthetic file, the keystone of the expertise, and the rules governing the responsibility for the doctor.
-
Three types of hyperalgesia can occur during the postoperative period: primary hyperalgesia, which disappears with wound healing, secondary or central hyperalgesia, which can lead to chronic pain, and opiate-induced hyperalgesia. Different drugs, most of which are NMDA receptors antagonists, are used to decrease or prevent the risk of central or opiate-induced hyperalgesia. However, it is difficult to determine whether they are really effective and at which dosage: the results of most published studies are difficult to interpret because of methodological problems. The two most frequent of those are: absence of objective measurement of secondary hyperalgesia and difficulties targeting an at risk population.
-
Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 2012
Review[Neurological consequences after long-term sedation in the ICU].
Experiments performed in mammals, including non-human primates, have demonstrated an increase in neuronal death rates normally seen in normal brain development. Such an increase is encountered in diseases but also after exposure of the brain to various class of anaesthetics. In living animals, it can (but not always) result in persistent cognitive impairment. ⋯ Second, it is known for years than anaesthesia before 1 year of age is much riskier than after 1 year, whatever the theorical neurotoxicity is. Third, this enforces the need to develop tools enhancing the precision of anaesthesia as much as possible. Meanwhile, when an infant has undergone numerous general anaesthesias, we strongly recommend a long-time neurological follow-up.
-
Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 2012
Review[What is new regarding anaesthetic monitoring in the operating room?].
This paper critically reviews the new devices that can be used on the operating room to monitor the oxygenation and the haemodynamics of the child undergoing general anaesthesia.